I watch Aiden play for the first time.
And it hurts to say that, but I'm honestly impressed.
He's damn good.
And it feels like he's the only one holding up this game.
But I'd never tell him that of course.
He does it like it's natural for him, and I guess it is.
Theo is munching on some snacks next to me.
And he's still stealing glances at the couple next to him from time to time.
Oh Theo.
Even though I love sitting here with my friend, watching Aiden, I'm nervous.
Nervous because of later.
What if something goes wrong?
I always thought Aiden was exaggerating.
Well I was pretty sure he was.
But now after the shooting I don't know what to think.
It's still not sure who it was.
There's nothing on the security cameras.
But Aiden says it was his father.
He says it such a convinced manner that I have no other option than to believe him.
And he knows his father best after all.
I also trust him.
I don't know when I started trusting him, but I do.
I really do.
The screaming from the crowd pulls me out of my thoughts.
Football is a pretty big deal at this school.
I look at the field and search for Aiden.
But I have no idea what's happening.
"What's going on?" I ask Theo.
"Our team is just beginning now." He answers while smirking.
What?
I look at the field again and search for Aiden.
I find him and flinch as the other team tackles him.
It's a pretty violent game. Too violent for my taste, but if Aiden likes it then I guess I could at least watch him.
Aiden gets out of the human pile with the ball and runs.
Damn fast if I may add.
The crowd goes still.
And... Aiden scores.
And the crowd goes wild again.
I smile but the game goes on.
It's once again obvious that without Aiden our team would be lost.
The whole team counts on him taking the lead.
~
We're almost at the end of the game and the rival team was pretty good themselves.
Both team have the exact same score now.
Which makes everyone here twitchy.
Theo isn't even eating anymore. He's looking straight towards the field with all his attention.
There're only four minutes left.
You could guess that by just looking at all the players.
They're getting frantic.
I once again search for Aiden and find him with the ball.
But he got it hidden behind himself so everyone else is also searching for it.
When two minutes later everyone still searches for it, and the speaker announces that there're only two minutes left, Aiden suddenly begins sprinting.
And if I thought he fast before then he's super fast right now.
Superhuman level basically.
The rival team starts running as well.
But they have no chance.
Just like before the crowd goes completely silent in anticipation.
Aiden once again scores and the crowd erupts in screaming.
The game is over.
And we won!
Theo hugs me off the ground while laughing.
The rivals all curse but our team runs towards Aiden, they all put him on his back and into the air and I laugh.
They set him down again, all clapping his back and half hugging him, but Aidens eyes search for something in the crowd.
I don't think he finds it as- fucking- Katie runs towards him and, my eyes grow wide, kisses him.
On the mouth.
It doesn't look like he's pulling away.
Everything stills for a second.
Why isn't he fucking pulling away?!
Even the crowd gets quieter, but I think I'm just imagining it.
Tears immediately spring into my eyes but luckily I'm not pathetic enough to let them flow.
Theo grows very silent beside me.
"Azzie?"
"I - um, gotta go." I say and quickly walk out like a disgusting fucking looser, and the people I walk by look at me pitying.
What the fuck so they want? Ughhhh!
I think Theo shouts for me, but I ignore him.
I have no idea where I'm going.
Wait- I get an idea.
I don't fucking need Aiden for anything.
I'll find out what's wrong with his father myself.
I sneak into the changing rooms and take Aidens keys out of his locker, which he luckily gave me the number of.
I get out of Aidens, by the way fucking ugly and dumb, number and quickly change into my dress, that unluckily Aiden bought me, but it's my only option right now.
I awkwardly zip it up when I hear the cheers getting louder.
Oh no.
I quickly take everything I need. The keys, my heels in my bag, and my Make-up bag, which I'll have to do when I'm there.
And then I run out, towards Aidens ugly Tesla.
"Azalea?!"
I look back, fuck.
Aiden is running towards the car park.
Oh hell no, you piece of shit.
I get into the car and start it.
"Come on!!" I mutter.
I quickly get it into reverse but there's a big rock or something, so I think there's a big scratch on his car now.
Oops.
"Fucking wait Az!" Ugh he's still screaming? Pathetic.
I'm finally out of the parking spot so I step on the gas to get the hell out of here.
He's already there when I finally drive away. Fuck he really is fast.
I see him in the rear view mirror standing there, breathing hard and my heart breaks a little.
But then I remember he's probably just gonna threaten someone to drive behind me, so I once again step on the gas, and drive the fuck away from there.
It's a thirty minute drive so I calm down a bit.
But I won't think about it.
I can't.
Because the fact that it was Katie again will do things to my heart I'm not ready to acknowledge yet.
I turn the music loud. And I'd like to say it's my hay fever, but it's November so that won't work. But I still feel the tears on my cheeks.
And I wanna fucking scream.
I hate to cry.
Hate it, hate it, hate it!
"FUCK YOU!! FUCK EVERYTHING!" I scream.
It feels damn good.
After that I feel better and it doesn't take long until I arrive at one of Mister Torres's company buildings.
It's big as hell, but this is just a part of his imperium.
I quickly put on some mascara and just basic makeup, I don't have time for more.
I'm about to exit the car when I hesitate.
Is this a good idea?
I don't even have anything, to defend myself, on me.
Fuck it. I'd rather die then ask Aiden for help now.
I exit the car and put on my big girl panties.
Time to be a badass.
There're a lot of very rich looking people entering the building, so I just follow them.
I pass a guard who asks for my name.
Damnit!
But Aiden said he made sure everything goes smoothly so I should be on the list right?
"Azalea Fortier." I hold my breath until he nods.
I enter the building and it's absolutely not what I expected.
A light and welcome interior.
It looks more like a home than a company.
Many people in long gowns and suits are standing in the entrance, talking and sipping expensive champagne.
I roll my eyes in my head. But I take one for myself anyways.
I'm actually a little lost.
I have no idea what my plan looks like.
Am I supposed to just walk up to Torres and casually ask if he hired someone to shoot his own son?
Yeah I'm sure that'll go smoothly.
I have to have some type of plan.
It's just that I know no one here.
I try to look confident as I walk into the main room, where the stage is.
I spot Aidens cousin. Oh no.
He walks towards me.
What was his name again?
Daniel?
Damon?
"Oh hello there. If it isn't Aidens little girlfriend?" He smiles charmingly and I almost puke.
"I'm not Aidens girlfriend."
"Oh yeah, well he told me something different. But since it looks like he's not here at the moment, why don't you have a drink with me." It's not even a question.
I really don't want to but I have to look like I'm not completely out of place here.
I nod and follow him to the bar. Where he orders two drinks for us.
I don't normally drink (except when I'm with C) but a little loosening up won't do any harm.
"So where is your boyfriend?"
I breathe through my nose "Again, he's not my boyfriend and I'm not his girlfriend."
"Good for me I guess." He smirks, yeah keep dreaming piece of shit.
"You wanna meet me upstairs?" I try not to gape at him. Well at least the jerk is straight forward.
"No thanks." I say and begin to walk away. I thought it'd be a good idea talking to someone, but obviously he was the wrong choice.
"Azalea." He says and it's not in a nice tone which makes me walk faster.
He grabs my arm harshly.
Fuck.
He brings me to a stop.
"Don't walk away from me." I look around but no one pays any attention to us.
Are you all fucking kidding me?!
"What the hell do you want?" I ask, looking into his eyes.
"That wasn't a request. You meet me upstairs now, or there'll be consequences. Someone wants to see you." He suddenly sounds different. Not like the charming fuck boy anymore.
I snort "oh yeah? What the fuck are you gonna do?"
I grips my arm harder and I hiss.
"Fine."
He let's go of me and I watch him take the steps upstairs.
I hesitantly follow him.
I sure as hell won't let him near me, but I'll go see who and what he means anyway.
I take my keys and put them in between my fingers. It probably won't do much if someone actually tried something, but I feel better with it than with nothing.
I walk up the stairs and look down a dark hallway, much different from the light interior downstairs, with a lot doors.
Where am I supposed to go?
The fucker wasn't even smart enough to tell me which room to take.
I begin trying the handle on the door closest to me when the one at the far end of the hallway opens.
An unfamiliar face looks back at me and motions for me to come.
I walk towards the room and enter.
Immediately my eyes snap to Aidens father standing there.
"Azalea it's good to see you again, but don't look so scared. Come sit."
~
Aidens pov
I sit in the passenger seat of some dudes car while Theo is driving.
He said he didn't trust me to drive at the
moment.
A thirty minute drive is gonna take us nearly an hour according to the news because there has been a fucking accident.
Theo hasn't said a word to me and I for sure won't say anything to him.
He may be a good friend, but my only priority right now is Az. And I won't explain anything to him, before I have talked with her.
Theo slows the car down again.
"Fucking traffic!"
Theo rolls his eyes.
"What the fuck are you rolling your eyes for?"
"I'm worried about Az as well okay? And it's not my fault she ran off without us. So shut your useless mouth unless you know a way to get to her faster." He snaps. I gape at him, Theo never gets angry. And when he does, he for sure doesn't show it.
"I'm sorry bro-"
He cuts me off "save that shit for Az, that is if she even wants to talk to you."
I sigh and shut my mouth.
I try calling her again but she doesn't answer. Just like she won't answer to the million messages I texted her.
But the thing that worries me the most, is that she also won't answer Theo's calls or texts.
I don't trust any of those people, at the anniversary, around her.
Especially not my father.
I can only hope she's okay.
~
Azaleas pov
I sit down on front of a desk and he takes the one behind it.
I look around the room and notice the two bulky guys I saw earlier at the entrance, standing next to the door.
"What are they doing here?"
Torres looks at them "oh that's just a safety measure from my side. But it got nothing to do with you, so don't concern yourself with it."
"What do you want from me?" I ask, my poker face once again letting me down.
I can't lie to save my life. Or at least act.
"Straight to the point, I like it." He says.
I look at him but he doesn't continue.
It gets awkward pretty fast.
Why isn't he saying anything?!
I feel like this is a test of some sorts.
I for sure won't give in first.
I keep looking him dead in the eyes.
He clears his throat and looks away first.
Ha! What a looser!
"I noticed my son being quite fond of you." He starts.
Oh yeah, back to business.
I raise an eyebrow, acting all cool, even though I wanna puke.
Because of me being here, with these scary as hell men.
But also because thinking of Aiden hurts. I don't need that now.
"He never brought a girl home. Let alone had contact with her for longer than a few weeks. And I don't like how all this developed." He puts his hands on the desk and it honestly feels like my boss is scolding me right now. "I thought about this for some time and I wanna make you an offer."
I keep nodding my head.
Wait what?
What the hell is he talking about?
What offer?
"And what would that be?" I ask carefully.
"I know you probably think otherwise, but I want my son to get his inheritance, as well as my imperium one day. And he will, but he doesn't need an attention seeking little slut," he pointedly looks at my showing cleavage, "to distract him from his goals. So I offer you ten thousand to leave him."
I'm pretty sure it looks like I'm a fish searching for air right now. Well the air part is accurate.
What the actual hell?
Is this old fucker seriously slut shaming me right now?
Oh I do think so.
That is where I draw my line!
"Excuse me?"
"Twenty thousand? I think that's pretty much for someone like you."
Someone like meeeee?!
Now, what is that supposed to mean?
"Don't look so shocked now, of course I made my research about you. And I honestly thought you weren't completely hollow in the head, your grades at least say that much. Please get it together. I don't have all day. And for the love of god, don't come with, what we have is true love." He rolls his eyes.
This is all too much.
He wants Aiden to get his inheritance? The whole imperium?
But then why would he want to get him out of the picture?
That doesn't make any sense.
"I see we won't get any answers out of you today. This is my number," he takes out a card and puts it on the desk "give me your answer until tomorrow, but don't be stupid enough to think you have a choice in this." He leaves, his bodyguards, or whatever they are, with him and I'm alone.
What the actual fuck?
I pull out my phone and roll my eyes.
Piece of shit called me twenty four times?
Luckily I turned off my phone.
But then I see the missed calls from Theo and feel bad.
He didn't do anything wrong.
My finger hovers over the call button, and I quickly press it.
I don't want him to worry.
It only rings two seconds when someone picks up.
"Theo?"
"Lux mea?!" I roll my eyes.
I go to end the call but Aidens frantic voice stops me.
"Please love! Don't hang up on me! Talk to me. Are you okay? Love!?"
I take a deep breath.
"Tell Theo I'm okay and I'm sorry I ran off. And Aiden," his silence sounds so hopeful it hurts me to say the next thing, but I won't do this a second time! This is exactly what I was scared of "don't call me again. And don't fucking search for me at your fathers celebration. Don't search for me at all actually. I don't want to talk to you. And I don't know if I ever will again." This is all a lie. I don't think I'll be able to live a week without telling Aiden everything about it. But he doesn't need to know that.
With that I hang up.
I take a steadying breath and ignore the slight pain in my chest.
I get up, walk downstairs, take a bottle of some alcohol with me (I don't even know what) and exit the building.
This is all bullshit.
I'm confused and fucking annoyed at the whole world.
I take the alcohol with me and begin driving.
I don't know where to.
Because I'm even living with the asshole!
How could I?
How could I be so stupid?
How could I get so attached again?
An embarrassing sob comes out of me.
There's no one in this world I hate more than myself.
Two minutes later my whole face is wet and I'm crying again.
Crying crying crying.
So pointless.
So stupid.
Yet so freeing.
My mascara is smeared and I look like shit when I arrive at Callans Café.
This was the only place I could think of.
Because I sure as hell won't go to mom looking like this. She's struggling enough, she doesn't need too see me like that as well.
It's Friday evening and there're only a very few people there.
I walk in and find Callan sitting at a desk in the corner doing something on his phone, he looks up when the door bell rings.
"Hey." He gets up when he notices my makeup, and just the state I am in, right now.
"Hey are you okay?"
"Yea I'm fine I just have to ask you for a favor."
He takes a careful step closer, as if I'm a crazy animal, that's gonna run the second he moves to quickly.
"Have you been crying?"
"Well that's just a stupid question." I joke. But seriously, it's not like I took a shower with my makeup and then decided to come here to show him.
"Now back to the favor, can I please sleep here?"
"You what?"
"Sleep here?"
"In the Café?"
"Yes.
"Why? Why aren't you at Aidens? Isn't that we're you've been staying?"
I sigh heavily "I just don't want to right now okay?!"
"Sorry yeah, but you can't sleep at the Café."
I take a seat on one of the bar chairs and hide my face with my hands.
"But you can sleep on my couch?"
I look up at him with hopeful eyes.
"Really?" I almost whimper. I take another swig of the alcohol I stole from the bar.
Hehehe.
But he takes it from me.
"Hey!"
"Let's get you out of that dress shall we."
I nod and follow him.
He closes the Café after everyone left and in no time I'm lying on his couch, in a much too big hoodie.
He brings me a tea and leans against the eating table.
"Thank you." I mutter while sipping it.
And it's much too hot.
Fuck, now I burned my tongue.
"Do you wanna talk about it." He questions after a minute and I know what he means.
I silently shake my head.
"Okay, then good night, and you know where I am if you need anything."
I nod and he walks into his room.
As soon as I finish the tea I plop onto my back.
I try to fall asleep but it takes me some time.
When I finally feel my conscience slipping I'm relieved.